Tape-dispensing mechanism



Oct. 17, 1950 J. w. ALDRICH TAPE-DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed July 23, 1945 Patented Oct. 17, 1950 TAPE-DISPENSING MECHANISM John W. Aldrich, North Woodbury, Conn., as-

signor to Derby Sealers, Incorporated, Derby, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application; July 23, 1946, Serial N0. 685,656

9 Claims.

This invention relates to tape-serving mechanisms, and more particularly to a device for delivering a gummed tape or paper strip from a source of supply, such as a roll or the like, in moistened condition ready for application to a parcel or package. 6

Such devices usually comprise a support or frame having provision for Supporting, the roll of tape and a moistening unit or brush over which the gummedsurface of the tape is drawn, so that it will be properly moistened for application to the package. It is desirable to have the roll of tape so supported that it will revolve rela tively freely when tension is exerted upon the strip of tape to draw it from theroll, although itis also desirable to have a certain amount of tension on the tape, particularly in a machine from which the tape is drawn by hand, so that the tape will be drawn over the moistening brush with suificient pressure to be properly moistened. However, if the roll is so supported that it will turn freely or sufficiently freely that an excess of effort is not required to draw the tape from the roll, it often occurs that the roll continues to rotate under its acquired momentum after the dis continuance of the tension. Inflother words, if the operator grasps the end of the strip of tape and draws it from the machine with a rapid ing the time that unwinding tension is applied to the tape will cause the roll to continue to rotate after the desired length has been delivered, thus causing a certain amount of the tape to pile up in loose layers about the roll, which will in turn interfere with the operation of the device when it is again used.

The disadvantage above referred to l is particularly noticeable when the supply roll is supported upon anti-friction rollers, as is often the case. While such a support enables the tape to be drawn from the roll in a satisfactory manner, it will not check the overthrow or the continued rotation of the roll under the momentum or inertia acquired during the application of tension in an unwinding direction. I contemplate in the present invention, therefore, providing a tape-dispensing machinelwherein the roll will be frictionally restrained from. rotating when the tape is not under tension, but, when the tape is placed under tension, this friction will be relieved so as to permit the supply roll to rotate more freely and thus not require an excess of force to operate the device. Moreover, as soon as the tension upon the tape is discontinued, the roll will again be placed under friction, so

2 that the rotation of the roll will be checked, and overthrow will be reduced to a minimum.

One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device for dispensing gummed tape.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for dispensing gummed tape, such that overthrow of the tape at the end of a dispensing operation will be prevented.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine for dispensing gummed tape having means for normally restraining the tape roll against rotation, but which restraining means will be either eliminated or greatly reduced in effect when tension is applied to the tape to draw it from the supply roll.

More specifically, the invention resides in providing, in a tape-dispensing machine, a carriage or supporting member for the supply roll of tape provided with one or more rollers upon which the supply roll is supported, and in providing braking means for one or more of these rollers so arranged that the braking means will normally restrain free rotation of the supply roll, but when unwinding tension is applied to the .tape the braking effect will be relieved to permit relatively free rotation of the supply roll.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

i Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a tape-serving mechanism embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing a strip of tape issuing from the supply roll; and Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a slightly modified form of my invention.

To illustrate one embodiment of my invention, I have shown a tape-dispensing machine comprising a support or frame 10 having upstanding side walls H and I2 connected together by yarious elements of the device.

webs l3 and [4 at their front and rear ends respectively, this frame forming a support for the Secured in the side walls land l 2 adjacent the upper rear corner thereof is a rod or shaft I5 having loosely mounted thereon a pair of hubs l6 carrying forwardly extending arms ll, which arms are adapted to lie on either side of a supply roll of tape supported by the frame, as will be hereinafter explained, and hold the roll in place.

As the hubs 16 to which the arms [1 are attached are loosely mounted on the rod l5 they may be moved longitudinally of the rod or laterally of the frame of the machine so as to adjust the spacing between these members to accommodate rolls of paper of different widths. The rear web M of the machine is provided with a plurality of inwardly projecting lugs i8 forming slots l9 therebetween to receive the rear ends of the arms I? so that the latter will be held in any given adjusted position. It will be seen that to move the arms ll they must be rotated about the shaft It to release their rear ends from these slots, since the shaft l lies nearer the upper than the lower edges of the arm, after which they may be moved along the shaft IE to the proper position and again swung into place, at which time their rear ends are again engaged in the slots.

Also pivotally mounted on the rod I5 is a forwardly extending frame or carriage designed to carry the tape roll. This carriage comprises a pair of spaced arms 2| and 22, these arms being connected by a U-shaped member 23 designed to underlie the supply roll of tape 24 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The bight portion of the member 23 also supports the forward ends of the arms ll when they are in their lowermost position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A rear strap or leg member 25 and a forward similar member 26 also depend from each of the members 2| and 22 and are secured thereto. The lower portions of these members on one arm are connected to the corresponding members on the other arm by pins 21 and 28 upon which are rotatably mounted supporting rollers 29 and 30 upon which the supply roll 24 of tape is adapted to rest, so that this roll will be supported by the anti-friction rollers 29 and 39. It will be obvious, therefore, that the arms 2| and 22 with their connecting members form a basket, so to speak, for holding the tape supply 24, and that this structure is pivoted on the shaft 55 so that it may swing upwardly, as will be hereinafter described.

A guide roller 3| is rotatably mounted between the forward ends of the arms 2| and 22, and the tape 32 in unwinding from the supply roll 24 passes about the roller 3| and then upwardly over a roller 33 rotatably mounted between the side frame members H and |2. From the roller 33 the tape passes over the table 34 and then between this member and a tear-off blade 35, after which it makes contact with a brush 96 mounted in a receptacle or tank 31 designed to hold water or other moistening fluid 38.

As shown, the tank 3? is removably mounted in the frame of the machine, although it may be cast integrally therewith if desired. Also, the tank is shown as being provided with a cover 39 having an upwardly projecting lip 46 acting as a support for the upper end of the moistening brush 36.

As shown in Fig. 2, the supporting rollers 29 and 30 normally rest against friction pads 4| and 42, of rubber or other similar material, provided in recesses formed in transverse members 43 and 44 extending between the side frames I! and I2, this engagement of the rollers with the friction members serving to determine the lowermost position of the arms 2| and 22. Ordinarily, therefore, these rollers will be restrained against rotation to a certain extent due to this frictional engagement.

The operation of the device is as follows: The operator places his fingers on the tape on the roller 33 and moves it forward until the free end projects from the severing blade. He then grasps the free end of the tape in the usual manner and draws it manually from the machine. As stated above, when there is no tension on the tape 32 the rollers 29 and 30 will be frictionally held against rotation, the pads 4| and 42 acting as brakes for these rollers. However, as soon as the operator pulls upon the free end of the tape and places it under tension, it will, by reason of the fact that it passes below the roller 3|, tend to raise the supporting frame comprising the arms 2| and 22 and the connecting parts and thus partially or wholly free the rollers 29 and 30 from the friction pads 4| and 42. This will permit the free rotation of the supply roll 24 as soon as a suflicient tension has been applied to the tape to raise the rollers 29 and 39 from the friction pads. Thus the amount of effort required to draw the tape from the roll will be controlled by the weight of the supply roll and the tension required to lift the supply roll, so as to free the rollers 29 and 30 from the frictional resistance to which they are normally subjected when the device is at rest.

However, as soon as sufficient tape has been withdrawn from the machine and the tension upon the end thereof is relieved, the rollers 29 and 3|] will immediately drop upon the friction pads 4| and 42 and check the rotation of the supply roll so as to reduce overthrow or continued rotation of the latter due to its momentum.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, I have shown a slight modified form of my invention, wherein the supply roll of tape 24 is likewise carried upon supporting rollers 29 and 30, which rollers are carried by pivoted arms 2| and 22 as before. In this instance, however, instead of applying friction to both rollers 29 and 30, I apply friction to only one thereof as this may be all that is necessary. As illustrated, the'forward roller 30 rests upon a friction pad 42 seated in a recess in a transverse frame member 45.

The operation of this device is the same as that of the form of my invention previously described, the only difference being that less friction is applied to oppose the rotation of the supply roll, and likewise less tension will be required on the free end of the tape to raise the roller 30 to a position in which the supply roll will revolve. As this determines the tension under which the tape is drawn from the machine, it will be obvious that the required tension will be less with the device shown in Fig. 3 than in connection with the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

While I have shown and described some preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A tape-dispensing machine comprising a frame, means carried thereby for supporting a roll of tape, including a roller upon which the tape roll rests, means frictionally engaging said roller to restrain it against rotation when the roll is at rest, and means actuated by unwinding tension applied to the tape for reducing said frictional engagement to permit relatively free rotation of said roller.

2. A tape-dispensing machine comprising a frame, means carried thereby for supporting a roll of tape, including a roller upon which the tape roll rests, frictional braking means engaging said roller to oppose rotation thereof, and

means actuated by tension upon the tape unwinding from the roll to reduce said frictional engagement and permit relatively free rotation of said roll.

3. A tape-dispensing machine comprising a frame, means carried thereby for supporting a roll of tape, including a roller upon which the tape roll rests, frictional braking means acting on said roller to oppose rotation thereof, and means actuated by tension upon the tape unwinding from the roll to disengage said braking means and reduce the braking effect of the latter.

4. A tape-dispensing machine comprising a frame, means carried thereby for supporting a roll of tape, including a roller upon which the tape roll rests, frictional braking means engaging said roller to oppose rotation thereof, and means actuated by tension upon the tape unwinding from the roll to move said roller away from said braking means.

5. A tape-dispensing machine comprising a frame, means carried thereby for supporting a roll of tape, including a roller upon which the tape roll rests, frictional braking means engaging said roller to oppose rotation thereof, means actuated by tension upon the tape unwinding from the roll to move said roller away from said braking means, and said roller automatically re-engaging said braking means upon release of said unwinding tension.

6. A tape-dispensing machine comprising a frame, means carried thereby for supporting a roll of tape, including a roller upon which the tape roll rests, a member carried by said supporting means around which the tape is looped in its passage from the supply roll, braking means frictionally engaging said roller to brake the rotation thereof, and said supporting means being mounted to move away from said braking means whereby unwinding tension on the tape raises said supporting means to move said roller away from the braking means.

7. A tape-dispensing machine comprising a frame, a carriage pivotally mounted on the frame for supporting a roll of tape, a roller rotatably supported by said carriage in engagement with said tape roll, braking means on the frame frictionally engaging said roller, and a member on said carriage around which said tape is looped in its unwinding movement from the tape roll, whereby unwinding tension applied to the tape moves said carriage and roller in a direction away from said braking means.

8. A tape-dispensing machine comprising a frame, a carriage pivotally mounted on the frame for supporting a roll of tape, a pair of rollers carried by the carriage upon which said tape roll is supported, a guide roller also mounted upon the carriage around which the tape is looped in its unwinding movement from the roll, and braking means carried by the frame upon which one of said supporting rollers normally rests, whereby unwinding tension applied to the tape will move said carriage to free said supporting roller from said braking means.

9. A tape-dispensing device as in claim 8 wherein both of the supporting rollers normally rest on braking means carried by the frame and are released from said braking means when unwinding tension is applied to the tape.

JOHN W. ALDRICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

